TROCHU SCRAPBOOKING CROP 2019 – WHAT’S IT LIKE?
Well, it’s that time again…time for the Trochu Scrapbooking Crop (applause)! The only time during the year that I visit my Great Aunt–can you say bad Great Niece?
The Trochu Quilters and Crafters Retreat is awesome, and I look forward to this ALL year! It’s a fundraiser for the Community School there, so that is another bonus!
What on earth should I take when going to a crop? Well, I have a list of my Five Must Have Tools To Take To A Crop (later in this post). This will give you a starting point. What’s it like to go to the Trochu Scrapbooking Crop, you ask? Well, let me tell you:
First, let me give you a little history on Trochu…Armand Trochu arrived in 1903 with a plan to raise horses. He and some partners started St. Ann Ranch, and then expanded to include a post office, hospital, and school. The Grant Trunk Railroad ended up going through Trochu, so the settlement would move up the hill. The village grew from the coal industry, and farming. Today, foreign workers are the boost to the town economically and culturally.
And if you like famous things, then you should probably see the World’s Largest Golf Tee! Also you should walk through the beautiful gardens at the Arboretum (best time for this is in the summer). And their best hidden gem is Henry’s Shoe Store! They have approximately 18,000 pairs of shoes in their store! They have customers all over the world! Definitely the best place for unique shoes. But save up before going….they’re a bit pricey (but so worth it–very well made and comfortable).
Outside of town is my Great Aunt’s ranch. She’s been there for almost 60 years! It was a guest ranch for some time, but now she’s retired, and just enjoying life…much deserved.
I so look forward to visiting her and staying with her, but it’s hard to go without internet or cell phone service! Crazy, right? She only has a land line. And she even said that I could come do scrapbooking at her place any time with friends. Uhm…hmmm…not sure if I could survive without that internet. Maybe, maybe not, maybe…I’ll let you know if I decide. But I did promise to come in the summer for a couple of days so I can stay there in better weather. She told me to bring my friend that came with me this time, so…I guess I’ve already decided. LOL!
Anywhoo…back to the retreat. We arrived at 1 pm (you can come early if you want–they will just be setting up), hauled all our stuff in, and started visiting. Yep, that’s how it usually goes at a crop, don’t you think? You’re not really there to work on projects, it’s more of a gab-fest! At least it is for me. I have a couple of friends that live in the area, and a couple of others friends that I know from a previous scrapbooking cruise, so I have a lot of hugging and yacking to do!
By the way, when you walk in there are tables to your left all along the wall that hold a whole slew of auction items that have been donated from wonderful sponsors. You, too, can put an item in the auction if you wish. I actually ended up winning one of the auction items. It was a crafty storage container! I’m thinking that would be great to use for all my metal craft supplies, and jewelry making supplies.
Also, next to the auction items is a garage sale table. So if you have some crafty supplies that you don’t want, and don’t mind the Trochu School getting the money, you can bring those supplies. It’s a “pay what you think” sale. I ended up getting some planner stickers and a flower punch.
At 6 pm we had supper. All meals are done by a caterer. She is amazing! She creates such wonderfully delicious meals! And you definitely don’t go hungry. In fact, you end up being in a food coma for most of the weekend. Tacos, fruit, sausages…oh my! Just to name a few. The cost of the weekend is totally worth it just for the food! Supper on Friday; breakfast, lunch, and supper on Saturday; and breakfast and lunch on Sunday. Oh boy, I can feel a food coma coming on as I write this post!
There is a quilting store that sets up on the stage for the weekend, and a scrapbook truck that comes for a couple of hours on Saturday afternoon (for those of us that need our crafty fix).
So, this year was a very cold one! Went to minus 47 celcius while I was there. Brrrrr!!!! I wasn’t sure my car was going to start. Actually, my car starter wouldn’t work. A nice man went out and manually started it for me. We left early that Saturday night because I didn’t know if my car would start again if I turned it off and stayed at the crop a few more hours. Oh well, I got to visit my Aunt and do some crochet.
I worked on organizing my photos this weekend. They really needed it. I had four boxes of loose photos that needed scanning and dating. Yes, somehow my photos got all mixed up. Now I have no idea what year they are each in. It’s hard to tell. Anyways, I only got through one box of photos. I scanned each photo, then went through them and tagged the photos in Adobe Bridge. I want to be able to find photos that I think of when I do a layout. For example, I am doing a layout that I think the photo of me and my rabbit would be perfect. Well, I wouldn’t have any idea of where to find that photo. Could be in a box, on a disc, on my computer–I don’t know. So that is why I am scanning them all and putting them all on my computer, and tagging them with names, place, events, etc. Going to take some time to do all this. Glad I’ve had at least this weekend to get some of it done.
But you don’t have to work on photos, like me. You can work on whatever you want! Don’t know what to take with you? Make sure to checkout my
Five Must Have Tools To Take To A Crop at the bottom of this post. It will give you some ideas.
On Sunday, after packing things up, I took my Great Aunt out for supper in Three Hills (a close by town). Went to a place called Bell 720. It was fabulous! Definitely try the deep fried ice cream. Sooooo good.
Well, after that…home sweet home we went! What a wonderful, fun, memorable weekend!
So if you have always wanted to go to a crop, but don’t know what it’s like…now you know. And if you are, in any way, able to make it to the area, you definitely don’t want to miss this one!
GET MY LIST OF FIVE MUST HAVE TOOLS TO TAKE TO A CROP
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GET MY LIST OF 5 MUST HAVE CROP TOOLS!
